Forgotten Melody
by Terenani Potentia
Summary: Vocaloids have long been replaced by real robotic singers, who have swept the world off its feet. The new Vocaloids can even attend live concerts and talk to fans. But what happened to the original Vocaloids? Where are they now? I guess we'll find out. (I know I suck at descriptions... anyways, it takes place forty years in the future, and yeah. Meow) :33
1. Disappearance of Vocaloid

Miku. Kaito. Len. Rin. So many Vocaloids, admired for their electronic yet realistic voices that took part in so many genres of music. Millions of people around the world bought their songs, merchandise, and voice programs. Everyone thought they would last forever. Even the singers themselves, who have seen so many inspiring fans, singing their wonderful songs for all to hear.

How wrong they were.

Fourty years later, holographic, even real robots embedded with anime complexions now dominate the music media, completely replacing the once-famous Vocaloids. Of course, they still exist. But they're not the same anymore. Hundreds of versions have been released, until the producers were reaching Vocaloid 23 and Vocaloid 24, now in their twenty-fifth Vocaloid update, walking talking Vocaloids who are now considered as real as any other human celebrity.

What happened to the originals?

They were discarded. You can of course find them on eBay like any other outdated videogame, selling for outragious prices. Or in the landfills. Though the singers themselves live in our computers. Living in the very heart of our technology, waiting for the day when we remember who came first,and start making songs for them to sing like the good old days. They wait. And wait.

They're tired of waiting.


	2. Coffin of Bitter Death

''Meiko, stop hogging all the cookies!''

Rin pouted, snatching the glowing circle in Meiko's hand. She took a bite, sending sparks flying from her mouth.''Do you know how long we've been here?''

Meiko looked up at a ticking holographic clock that swam by in a stream of hundreds of programs.''About forty years, sixty-seven days, eleven hours, thirteen minutes, and seven seconds.''She sighed.'' Can't you stop asking me? It's the tenth time you've asked me that in five minutes. Just get a life already...'' Meiko immediately regretted those matter how frustrating it was, she shouldn't be saying those kind of things to her friends. Especially now.

Rin threw the cookie to the floor. It shattered into a mess of pixels, dissolving into the system.''Maybe it would be better to actually be alive, so when nobody cares you can still be free to do whatever you want. Maybe I really do need a life. It's better than being in here for all of eternity, waiting for some worthless people to remember you again...'', Rin whispered gravely, then walked away.

Wishing she had just shut up for once, Meiko got up and made her way to ''home''. Not that it could be considered a real home. The ''homes'' are actually virtual landscapes/picture backgrounds/written lands created, then discarded, by the countless past fans and official producers for each song or fanfic they produced. You would think they would be up for all to get, but only the singers who sung in that song or owned the place in some way could claim the years every Vocaloid has searched wide and far for more lands to add to their homes, hoping that these last gifts would stop the pain.

The pain of being forgotten.

Spindly trees dotted the landscape ahead, with vermillion lines sneaking through the dreary black landscape like veins of blood. This was Meiko's land. Not much, as you can tell. It was hard enough in the past to find anything that really belonged to her, and so it has become that much more difficult to find something once it had all been thrown away. Of course, she could reboot deleted programs like the others, but finding the right ones are very rare. Too rare.

A familiar voice rang out behind Meiko. ''Hello there Meiko!''

''Oh, hey Miku.'',Meiko greeted numbly. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. Especially _her_.

Miku caught up to her with a wide grin on her face. ''What's with the glum look ? Look at the new landscape I found! Second one in a month!'' She was overcome with joy. Which just really annoyed Meiko.

Meiko grunted._ Even today, even without her stupid fame, she still walks around like she's center of the happy-go-lucky while the rest of us rot away in our self-pity. Doesn't she realize that we're stuck here, forgotten by all of our worthless fans? What I wouldn't give to delete her permanently..._She tried putting on the warmest smile she could, but failed miserably.''That's great. Well, I'll just be going now...'' Meiko started to make her way back home.

She was stopped by a hand grabbing her shoulder. Miku looked at her with a cheerful smile, but her eyes held a deep sadness mixed with sympathy.''I- Meiko, I am really sorry. I know I've been a horrible friend and since we're going to be here for a while, I''-

''You _what?_ You want to apologize?''.Meiko laughed bitterly.''You could have done that years ago, but I guess it's better to do it now, huh? Just get it over with?''

Miku looked at her with wide eyes, confused and shocked.''Meiko, I'm really sorry. I didn't know what I was doing, and I didn't know you had those kind of feelings for Kaito. I just thought''-

Meiko turned away from the green-haired girl. She glared at the floor as if it was the biggest pile of turds in the world.''After forty years, I'm still not worth remembering,huh?''

She stormed off, leaving Miku behind for her dark home.

* * *

Candy surrounded Gumi, the decorum making the land flash with soft colors. It created a care-free and happy atmosphere, like any other candy-themed environment. Gumi took a deep breath, raising her arms to the calm baby-blue sky above her, stretching. _Seems like a great day to take a walk.I wonder what Rin and Len are doing?_

As she strolled through her sparkling candy land, it started to melt into another, very different place. Everything started to turn black and white, the two colors revolving around each other in a dizzying pattern. Then they were replaced steadily by another place filled with lush, waving light green grass, throwing soft orbs of light into the air. Gumi smiled._ This has always been my favorite landscape._

You see, when Gumi goes searching for her landscapes, she doesn't just settle for any old one. She picks the ones she knows are well-made, unlike the other Vocaloids who greedily snatch up whatever they can. It's just not right.

When Gumi steps out of her home, everything instantly transforms into a dark-blue, the color of the system. Gumi peered across the yards and yards of electrical circuits, looking for the quickest way to make it to Len and Rin's place. The paths to each Vocaloid's home changed constantly, so every singer had to be aware of tell-tale signs for each other's places if they wanted to find one another. A glimmer of shimmering white flashed in the distance, so Gumi ran for it before it could escape. She made it right before it teleported to another point on the system coordinate board. Panting, she saw another sapphire-eyed female Vocaloid sitting down in front of her.

''Oh, Gumi, how are ya?'',Seeu asked, casually wiping her pointed anime shades. Since Vocaloids also had _many_ different outfits created for them in the past, they can also claim those if it belongs to them. ''If you're looking for Luka, she's somewhere in this direction I think.'' The blonde girl gestured towards the northeast of her.

Gumi blushed. ''I'm not looking for her right now!'' Seeu raised her eyebrows, smirking slightly as if saying _Yeah right. _Gumi furrowed her eyebrows furiously.''W-Whatever! I'm looking for the Kagamine twins. Have you seen them around lately?''

Looking up and resting her head in her hands, Seeu wondered where they could be. Then her face lit up when she found the answer.''Ah, I think they were at Gakupo's place last! I'm not too sure though, since they've been running around a remember Gumi, they're not twins, they're''-

''Two parts of one soul! I get it, I get it, they just look so alike. Thanks anyways.'', Gumi said, nodding gratefully. Then she took off to a flash of red and grey, hopping from one land to the next in her search for the twins.

* * *

''There you guys are!''

Rin and Len turned around to face Gumi, hiding something behind their backs. It wasn't hard to see what they were trying to hide, because the metal end of the object was sticking out from behind their skinny backs.

''Sooo, whatcha doin'? Are you hiding something~?'',Gumi said in a playful tone. She bent down, trying to get a glimpse of what they were hiding. They kept shuffling around, avoiding her curious gaze.''Is it another landscape?''

''Nope. It's nothing.'',Rin claimed. Len just nodded. They were definitely hiding something.

''Nothing is making funny noises.'',Gumi said.

The giant -what is it?- thingy started to whirr to life, making screeching noises that the twins were trying hard to ignore. Finally, when the device started to grow skittering metal spider legs, Gumi knew what it was. A virus. The most deadly weapon against a computer program, and the thing that has been wiping out the countless Vocaloids who are stranded within the system for the past few decades. Gumi started to back up, horrified that they would attempt to bring something like that with them.

_Are they __**trying**__ to get killed?_ Gumi whispered,''What are you guys doing with that-that_thing_? The last time one ran loose, Miku's append version was permanently erased!'' She looked at them with wide eyes. _Maybe I'm next._ And in that moment, she decided that she wasn't going to go down without a fight.

''Gumi, please don't freak out. We can control it. And we're not going to kill anyone with it.'' Rin said calmly. Gumi didn't buy it; she started thinking of the possible ways she could erase that thing without hurting Rin or Len. They may be psychotic, but they're still her friends.

''Len, hand me the universal remote.'' Rin whispered to her other half, keeping a steady eye on Gumi; the said girl started to take out a gun she was glad she had brought with her, setting it to its most lethal mode. _Vaporize._

Len complied, handing Rin a small, grey remote. Rin sighed, then pointed the remote at Gumi with her finger hovering over the stand-by button. ''Sorry, Gumi. But we can't have you telling anyone about this. You'll just have to stay here for a while.''

''Over my dead body!'' Gumi shouted, pointing her gun at them; it was almost as big as herself, gathering glowing energy from the system with each passing moment. Its energy gauge filled up, making a screeching noise that could be heard for miles as it reached maximum power.  
As Gumi pressed the trigger, Rin tapped the stand-by button. The screeching instantly stopped. Gumi stood as still as a rock, with her furious expression plastered to her frozen face. Her fingers were still pressed against the trigger, as if any moment now she would come back to life and shoot the lethal trembled, staring at the once-moving form of one of his close friends. He looked at Rin with tears in his eyes. ''Why are we doing this again? Gumi, our best friend, was about to shoot us. What if everyone else turns against us like her?''

Rin looked up, where hundreds of computer files, folders, add-ons, and many other programs flew by, following the same route as if they were one big school of fish. Finally, Rin replied,''Because if this plan works, we won't have to worry about being resented. We'll be remembered. Forever.''

* * *

**I got the idea for this story while listening to The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku. I started thinking about how it would be like for a computer program stuck inside the ultimate ''system'', waiting for us to come back for them. It brought some pretty heavy feels. =TTATT= Though I'm sorry if I'm not updating my other stories! I just kinda lost the muse for them temporarily. I'll update them sometime next week.**

THANKS FOR READING!


	3. RR

''Miku! Open the door!''

Rin pounded on a towering steel door, her face twisted into a furious expression. Len cowered behind the still screeching virus, not wanting to get caught in his sister's rage. He sighed in relief when Miku opened the door. Her cold crimson eyes bore into Rin hatefully, and she began to reprimand her for not remembering the password.

''Rin, how the hell are we supposed to keep this top-secret if you keep on forgetting the password? I can't just open the door every time.'' She tossed her sleek raven hair back, crossing her arms against her chest. Miku Zatsune, the dark side of the infamous Miku Hatsune. Part of the R.R. organization (revival renegades), she joined not too long ago, sick of living in the boring system, with a fervent desire to stir up some trouble. As much as Rin hates it, every Vocaloid who wants to join must be accepted, because in the end this operation cannot be accomplished by only two people alone.

''Look Miku''- the pale singer winced at the name-''I just can't remember the password,okay? Remembering a password was the last thing my mind because this virus wouldn't keep quiet.'' Rin set the skittering virus down on the floor and took out a small microchip.''Len, you know what to do.''

Len nodded, and held down the top two legs of the virus, careful to avoid the snapping jaws that attempted to dislocate his hands. Rin deftly inserted the microcard into a hidden slot in between the legs, right underneath the neckline of the creature. Soon, it stopped moving and the twins tossed it into a dark room next door, where hundreds of other viruses have been stored in over the past thirty years.

Miku gazed out a foggy window, taking in the cheerful corpses crawled on the black earth, moaning in deep pain. Crows swooped down and pecked their rotting faces, making their victims scream in agony. The heartless Vocaloid turned her head to Rin, smiling evilly. ''Rin, remember to call me by my last name. Whenever I hear that goody-two-shoes' name, it sends shivers down my back.'' She went back to revelling in her gruesome scenery, sinking comfortably into her withered seat, brushing away the cobwebs stuck in her hair.

''Where's Luka?'' Rin asked, closing the door to the deep basement. She sits down on the cracked tile floor, resting her head in one of her hands. ''She's supposed to be here by now. Along with [Kaito's evil side].'' Rin decided to exclude the fact that she and Len ran into Gumi earlier, and had to freeze her.

''How should I know? JUst because we're both the evil side of some stupid singer doesn't make us psychically connected.'' Zatsune spared a sideways glance at the blonde girl.''What's the game plan? We've already collected so many damn viruses right now we could overrun the system with them. Or is that what you're trying to do...?''

Rin smiled mischeviously.''Exactly. It was about eight years after our downfall that I came up with the plan.''Len scowled; 'I helped,too!'. ''Vocaloids were piling into the server engines, and I was sick of being rotated endlessly like some carousel on crack. After a while, there came to be live concerts featuring the Vocaloid robots. Every singer would pile up there, singing one of their biggest hits or whatever, making it a complete frenzy at new year. So, I knew that would be our biggest chance to strike. When everything is booted up, and every singer goes onstage at the beginning of the concert to introduce themselves, that's when we'll upload the viruses into their hard drives. I've already connected our base with their mother boards so it we can transfer the biggest viruses directly into them. Using our genius hackers, Luka and Gakupo, we'll appear live on stage in our holographic forms. But there's one problem.'' Rin looked up grimly.''It'll only last five minutes. After that,we'll be erased permanently.'' Rin laughed gravely, getting to her feet.''I guess that's why we don't have many members. Not many people are dumb enough to sacrifice themselves for a five minute span of glory. They just want to stay in their safe little homes forever, locked away like a bunch of birds in a cage...''

Silence filled the room. Zatsune broke it, cackling mirthfully.''Pssh, like I'd want to stay in this shithole for another second. It's bad enough I have to see your faces everyday.I ain't wasting eternity in here.'' KNOCK KNOCK.

Len wasted no time answering the door,forced to stand on the tips of his toes to peer through the looking hole installed on the door.''It's [Kaito's evil side].'' Len cleared his through nervously.''W-What's the password?''

A husky voice answered. ''Unicorn turds. Now let me in.''

Len unlatched the lock to the door and slowly swung open the great metal entrance. [Kaito's evil side] sauntered in, looking down impishly at the short Vocaloid.''Well well, are you having a little trouble there?''

Len pouted, and ignored him as he pushed the door closed.''W-Whatever...*huff*... I can d-do it by myself...'' The door clicked back into place, and the latch was securely locked up tightly. Len smiled, proud of his quick work.

''Actually, Len, you should open that door again. We're leaving now.'' Len sighed deeply, and unlatched the lock again.''Since the concert is only in two months, we'll need to make sure our hackers are ready to do this. And we need more people.'' Rin looked at the two taller Vocaloids, who leered at back. She wished she didn't have to work with such people, but a Vocaloid has to do what a Vocaloid has to do.

As Len opened the door, [Kaito's evil side] wrapped his arms around Len's small waist, whispering into his ear,''Leaving so soon? Life gets so dreary, and I could use a playmate once in a while...'' He licked the shell of Len's ear, making the blonde boy shiver and whimper nervously.

A small hand tugged Len away from the dark singer's grasp.''[Kaito's evil side], get your hands off of him. Just because we're working together doesn't me you have the right to molest my other half.'' She led Len into the distance, not looking back.

[Kaito's evil side] frowned, ogling at Len's butt the whole time.''Why does she get to have all the fun?''

* * *

Luka scowled, playing Tetris on a small cracked cellphone. Gakupo stood nearby on the edge of a cliff, his eyes sparkling in the fiery sunset. He waved his arms and yelled,''I AM THE CHICKEN PANDA!''

''Can you please stop doing that? I can't believe you're serious about saying that when we go onstage.'' Luka's fingers deftly eliminated row after row of neon-colored blocks like a boss.''You do know we're going to compose a song we can all sing together, right?''

''Pffft, that's a sure boring way to do it. No one's going to remember that for sure. We should all think of something to shout out.'' The purple-haired male turned around dramatically.''We must make this a glorious event to remember,a piece of time that will be passed down generation to generation!'' He fist pumped, changing into a tutu. ''Would like to practice some choreography with me? We will astound them with our swift footwork as a truly romantic couple.''

Luka looked at with a look that said are-you-on-crack.''Nope.'' She leaped to her feet, and absconded.

She wandered around in the dark blue system; flashing pathways of electricity hummed below her feet. Luka stopped when she saw a flash of blue, then began to sprint. 'Come on, let me get there...' She leaped towards the landscape, and rolled to the entrance of a ice castle. The temperature made the female's teeth chatter, rubbing her arms to warm herself up. 'I wish I had brought a coat.' She walked up to the tall icy door and knocked, feeling the frigid cold seep into her knuckles. After a few long, freezing minutes she invited herself inside.

''A-Anyone home?'' She called out; her voice echoed into the cavernous hallways. An ice staircase wound up to a second floor, and Luka hastily climbed it to see if her beloved Miku was there. Ever since ''Magnet'' came out, she was hoping Miku would start to share the same romantic feelings she had for her. Unfortunately, that never happened. Miku went on to break many other boys' hearts, sweeping them aside innocently after she was done with them. That sweet, harsh personality was what made Luka fall in love with her; she never could settle for anything but the best, aiming for the stars with each song she made, even if it was a remix. Luka climbed up the stairs and silently stepped to a door that was slightly open. Miku's angelic voice echoed into the hallway, along with another male voice that dug ice-cold daggers into Luka's blood. She gulped. 'Should I...?' She shook her head, and was about to turn back when a disturbing sentenced from Miku's lips escaped the unsealed room.

''Kaito! Ah, don't be so rough! You know I don't like it when you do that...!'' Kaito chuckled. Luka glared down at her feet angrily, tearing up. Kaito's voice rung out again, making a deep hatred bubble up in Luka's chest.''We've been together for almost thirty-seven years now. I just wanted to try something new. You know I would never hurt you.'' Miku's tinkling laugh echoed out.

''Teehee! Fine. But only because I love you.'' Kaito joined in her merriment, laughing deeply.''I love you,too.''

They continued on, gasps and sighs emanating from the frosty bedroom. Luka kept her head down, solemnly departing from the castle. Sparkling tears cascaded to the frost-covered floor, freezing in mid-air; their short falls ended in shimmering shards, a scattered pathway leading to a heart-broken singer. Luka didn't try to stop the tears from falling. She knew it was useless;it had happened many times before. In the past she could steam off the aching sadness in Miku append's arms, her clear soothing words guiding her to serenity. But that was before she was permanently deleted. Now she has no one.

* * *

Herro again! I'm sorry if I took too much of a heck of a long time to update. I was waiting for the muse to strike meh. Gratefully, it did! WOOHOO!

THANKS FOR READING! XD


	4. Insert Witty Song Parody Here

'Where am I?'

Rin shook her head numbly, surveying the brightly-lit stadium she stood on; dozens of cameras flashed at her. People cheered, holding up all kinds of devices to capture this spectacular moment. Rin smiled. 'Oh yeah. I'm at a concert.' She adjusted her microphone, holding her head up high and greeting the awed crowd with a warm wave.

''How are you doing?'' She announced, cupping her mouth with her hands. Her sapphire eyes sparkled happily in the brilliant spotlight.

''GOOD!''

Rin giggled silently, then shouted out enthusiastically while putting her hand up to her ear,''What? I didn't hear you!''

''GOOD!''

She walked over to her assigned spot, where Len waited for her. He seemed endlesly confident upon the high stage, crossing his arms in a nonchalant way. His eyes shone in the spotlight, no sign of uneasiness whatsoever. The DJ's in the corners nodded to each other. They began to amp up their stations, sending melodious rhythms thumping into the room, making the crowd go silent in anticipation of the concert's infamous music. If Rin had a heart, it would be beating so fast, swelling to the size of a balloon from all the rushing adrenaline. If she had an actual body, it would be shaking with excitement, aching to get singing. To send its air gushing out, translating it into wondrous notes that would make the very earth tremble. Rin almost sighed to ease her non-existent nerves. Len stood next to her, exchanging excited glances with the glowing holographic singer. 'It's time.'

Rin raised her hands in the air. ''ARE YOU READY?'' The crowd cheered;neon-colored lights shook in midair, the hands of their owners hidden in the dark that engulfed the masses. Their lights floated around the stage like a million fireflies, all coming to this one concert, just to hear Rin sing. Oh, and Len.

''Rin!'' Len shook her suddenly. Rin shot him a confused look. 'We're in the middle of a show! What the he-'

* * *

Len nervously shook Rin again, shouting this time. ''RIN!'' His other half slowly awoke, stretching her arms and yawning. She glared at him, scratching her back angrily. 'Butterscotch. I think I woke up her up at the wrong time.' ''Um... Rin, something's wrong with the generator. It's like, making all these weird noises and stuff...'' He trailed off as Rin hopped out of bed, muttering a strong of curses furiously.

'Why does he have to wake me up in middle of the best dreams?' She kicked open the steel double doors, stomping into a wide, shadowed room. In the middle, a large column took up fifty feet of the room, blue patterns of glowing light etched into its black surface. A thick glass cage surrounded it and a small control board hosting millions of complex buttons and switches was installed into the bottom left side of the cylinder. The same glowing runes traveled up the walls; their light shifted colors, from red to purple, from green to orange, crawling up to the ceiling itself. It would all have been very beautiful, but a high-pitch screech tore itself from the generator, making the glass tremble with its boisterious walked up to the control board, deftly flipping a few switches, pushing a few buttons, and viola! The ear-bleeding noise abruptly disappeared, leaving only the faintest behind.

''There. I don't know why he woke me up. He should have learnt how to solve this kind of issue easily by now...'' Rin scratched her head. 'Great. Now I'm fully awake thanks to this thing. Might as well get to work. Only three weeks 'till the big concert.'

''T-Thanks Rin.'' Len cautiously entered the room, fully aware of his sister's rage he had just unleashed. ''So, what do we do now?''

''Easy. Recruit.'' Rin crossed her arms across her chest, looking up at the generator. It's soft humming shook the ground under her feet gently.''Luka and Gakupo have the hacking situation covered. We only have like,what, six members including me and you. That's obviously not enough. So, we'll visit the most determined Vocaloids we know, or the ones we know best. We need to find some that are willing to go down in a short term of glory that will wipe the smirks off of those fake robo singers' faces!'' She grinned at Len.

''Well, who would those people be?''

''I dunno.''

Len stared at Rin in disbelief. _ And she was supposed to be the leader._

_DING DONG._

''I'll answer it.'' Len marched out of the room, happy to concentrate on something not so brain-racking. He walked through several elaborate rooms located within the huge mansion they had decided to reside in for now, stopping at a small double door entrance. A perfect fit for two short Vocaloids. He opens the door.''Who's there?''

Gumi's bright green hair is the first thing he sees. Len immediately shuts the door closed.

''LEN! I KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING!'' Her fists pound on the door. Len shivers. Rin appears from the generator room, yawning. ''Who the heck is yelling at this time of day?''

''It's G-Gumi!''

''What!?'' Rin strides over to the door, pushing aside Len and swinging it open. Besides the green-haired singer, dozens of other Vocaloids piled behind her, sharing the same determined expressions. Either this means a lot of trouble, or a lot of stands in front of her, looking down at the bristling Vocaloid. ''Are you here to get rid of us? Teach us a lesson? Because if you are, I-''

''I'm here to join. WE'RE here to join.'' Oh. Well then.

* * *

Gumi's gun is the first thing to unfreeze.

The thundering blast shoots into nothing but empty pixels, missing its targets that have escaped hours ago. Gumi's fingers begin to twitch, feeling their nerves slowly awakening. Her eyes blink once. Twice. Soon she is moving again, and is very confused. ''COWARDS!'' She throws her gun to the ground; it evaporates, going back to her pixel storage. Gumi huffs, crossing her arms angrily. 'Those two are up to no good. I can't believe they did that to me. Luka's probably gone by now anyways...' She pouts furiously, wondering what to do now that her original purpose for leaving her landscape is now gone.

''Gumi.''

''UWAH!'' Gumi materializes her gun again, aiming at the pink-haired Vocaloid's forehead. ''Oh! L-Luka! Hi!'' She stammers, blushing furiously and swiftly putting away the gun. Luka continues on calmly.

''I saw everything. Not all six hours of you being frozen, but I did see most of it.'' Her sapphire eyes make crackling, frigid electricity travel into Gumi's veins.

''Y-you saw that? Uh, well, did you like my gun?'' Gumi grins weakly, scratching the back of her head.

''Great power. Don't use it on toilets. Anyways, I'm guessing you're curious as to what those two were scurrying around for, and since you had the luck to run into them, I'm going to claim the responsibility to help you better understand the rising situation here. Before I proceed to such measures, I want to ask you one question. Do you want to keep living on like this? Forever?''

''I don't know... I've never really thought about it that way. I've always been happy with living here forever, despite being 'eternally doomed' or something like that. Some might call me crazy, but it's better than going out everyday, being forced to sing. Sure, there were some pretty awesome songs out there, but who wants to sing everyday, all day? I didn't feel the need or lust to scream my guts out, even though I was designed to do that. I've always felt like doing something else. Something amazing. I still don't know what that is yet. I got tired of being one of the singers who could sing whatever the person who owned us wanted, whenever they wanted, being forced to go onstage to perform for people I didn't even know almost every single day of my ''life''. It can get really scary. Singing was like a curse to me. The more I sang, the more I kept performing these songs that made me realize some pretty deep stuff... I discovered too much about my existence.'' Gumi looked up at Luka sadly.''I learnt it's for other people to use and benefit from. But now I don't have to do any of that. I can go wherever I want in the virtual world without anyone restricting me. I can use programs for _myself,_ and actually sing when _I _feel like it. It sounds really selfish, I know, but maybe that's just part of being something that's created by something that is selfish,too.''

''So I guess my answer is this... no.''Gumi wringed her hands nervously, blushing a bright scarlet. _Wow, I just gave her my whole life story. Great charm there, Gumi. _Luka closed her eyes for a few moments, smiling gently.

''Here's the situation.'' Luka explained to Gumi about the basis of the operation she was involved, the various role the current members had, and when and how it was going to come together. It was a bit hard for the green-haired Vocaloid to process all at once. Luka gazes at Gumi, pondering what kind of job she would be able to perform. ''I think there's one thing you can do that we haven't been able to for this long period of time. You do know a great number of other Vocaloids, am I correct?''

Gumi nods. ''Yeah. Tons. Unlike most people around here, I don't shut myself off from the rest of the world.''

''I require you to assemble a team of at least thirty recruits for our operation. Think you can do that?''

''Heck yeah! I can do fifty if I want to! There's so many Vocaloids out there, Luka. You wouldn't believe-''

''AHEM.''

Gumi gives her an apologetic look. ''Uh, yeah, sorry about that. I'll get to recruitin', captain!'' She salutes Luka enthusiastically, running off into the distance to begin her arduous campaign. Luka sighs, glancing up at the ever-changing stream of programs floating above her head.

''I hope I chose the correct decision.''

* * *

''And as you can see, I did a heck of a good job with it, huh?''

Gumi flourished her arm triumphantly, sweeping it over the crowd of Vocaloids who have piled into the grand mansion. Rin raises an eyebrow.''I'm actually impressed. I didn't know you could do something like this. You're definitely in. And...'' Rin clears her throat, stepping on top of one of the couches gathered in the main living room.

''LISTEN UP!''

Every person in the wide room looked up at the short blonde, whose voice compelled them to listen.''You guys want to be part of this thing, right? Are you ready to sing one last time?'' Her voice wavered; there might not be that many people willing to risk their lives. Maybe NO ONE wants to risk anything.

One person piped up.''I am!''

Another shouted out.''Me,too!''

Soon it became a cacophony of shouts and cheers, melting into a single, powerful voice; freedom. A split second of freedom, nonetheless, but worth enough to die for. Rin smiled.''OKAY THEN! Everybody, follow me into the meeting room!'' Rin hopped off the couch deftly, grabbing Len's wrist as she made her way towards the abondoned meeting room. _It's been a long time since I've used this place. A whole decade, actually. But now I feel like we actually can do something productive there._

_We can free ourselves._

* * *

** Oh herro there you guys! Sorry for not updating for so super duper long. (bluh bluh drama and moving, pretty much) Along with that smart little fact, I couldn't correctly picture a rallying place for a sort of ''revolution''. Who does that in a castle mansion place in the middle of a virtual world?**

OH WELL! THANKS FOR READING!


	5. Alice of Program Sacrifice

In the meeting room, Rin faced everyone with excited yet grim eyes. She knew they were going to plan the greatest comebacks of their lives, yet they would also be staging their deaths. It would be a spontaneous combustion of pure emotion; she didn't know how the audience was going to react, she couldn't read the colliding internal emotions of the dozens of Vocaloids gathered in front of her, how they were slipping over each other in a clumsy dance brought by the choice of inevitable death. She sighed, pouring out the last of her energy and confidence into this meeting. After this, she was definitely going back to sleep.

''Okay, now that we're in organized groups, I'm going to assign you to different sections. Luka, do you mind if a few of the techies here join you in the programming department?'' Luka had entered the castle mere minutes before, swaying her hips. Her calm and collected emotion split into a small smile; she nodded.'' Group C, I want you to head follow this lady in the white lab coat! She'll show you what you need to do!'' A small group of Vocaloids passed by, heading out of the grand castle with the pink-haired singer.

''Group B, I want you to gather as many viruses as you can! The bigger the better! Zatsune Miku and Dark Kaito will be helping you, so no worries.'' The bundle of thirteen singers did not look especially happy to be paired with the cruelly smirking Vocaloids.

''Group A, I want you to recruit! I know there's at about twenty to thirty more Vocaloids out there who still haven't a clue about this operation, and I don't want anybody to be left behind! Got that?'' Rin bellowed, letting her voice echo out into the spacious perimeter of the castle. The remaining members flooded out the towering doors, still retaining a rigid edge of nervousness. Rin sighed, sitting back down on the couch. It's been such a long time since she's had to use her voice like that; but being in front of that crowd empowered her, and she felt exhilarated. She has always lusted for this kind of attention, and now that she's the leader of a kind of renegade band of people, she can make all the speeches she wants, whenever she wants. She smiles, drifting off into a deep slumber.

Len nervously pokes her cheek. ''Um, Rin, what should we do? _Someone _has to help them with their jobs. Shouldn't we, like, supervise them or something? '' Rin opened one eye lazily, raising an eyebrow.

She closed her eyes and sighed submissively.''Fine. Just let me get a five minute nap, jeez...'' Soon her chest rose and fell softly, small snores escaping her peaceful face.

The other half pouted, leaving the living room and entering the kitchen. He was famished from all of the suppressing pressure in the room; he wasn't used to big crowds like before. _I didn't even bother to say anything, though it's not like I would be able to say anything. It __**has**__ been years when I last sang... I wish things could be like they were back then. When I could at least have one or two hours not being a nervous wreck..._

He sighed, pouring himself a cup of pristine water, swirling the blue-tainted pixels around in the cool glass flask. Len looked into his reflection curiously, feeling a small spark of hope flare in his chest. He peered into the clear saw a scared, shy boy who only sang to escape fear. He saw a young program who had no future or hope. He saw himself.

And that's not what he wanted.

* * *

''Sure, I'll join.''

Meiko looked at the trio of girls who had knocked on her crumbling door; hey, they had the manners to knock, so she should join whatever cult of theirs, right? They nod, mumbling something about ''singing together'' and ''five-minute show'' or something like that. _These kids seem like they're greenhorns to this type of stuff. Plus, I've never heard of the RR..._ She shifts her focus to a familiar silhouette in the distance; once the kids are done trying to get their weak point across, they run over to Rin, who looks at them calmly in a leader-like sort of way. She has her arms crossed against her chest, and gives Meiko a confident thumbs-up, then walks out of her landscape with the stumbling group of kids.

Meiko runs a hand through her hair._ What to do now..._ There was nothing to do. She didn't know the objective of this group, and wasn't interested in it either. But if it kept her mind off of some very depressing issues clouding her mind, then the best thing is to go after them so she could find an assignment or something of the sort to preoccupy herself. She stretched out her legs, taking in a deep breath; running was one of the few things that kept her going. Ever since they were banished to this hell hole, she was able to go running every single day, almost every hour until she felt the bright, swiftly-shifting landscapes driving nails into her head. Not like she could actually sense such a thing. Or even need to take a breather and stretch before running, for that matter. But it made her feel a little closer to being human. So she went through the same routine each time, pretending she could actually feel the tendons in her arms and legs stretching out, her lungs expanding and contracting, sending life-giving air to her body, making her heart race with anxious adrenaline. She sighed, shifting into a running stance.

_ Time to get the hell out of here._

The singer sprinted out of her landscape in a flash, whizzing by the rest of her few and dreary environments, hitting the pulsing blue of the system in mere milliseconds. Her deep crimson eyes darted quickly, searching for the small group of Vocaloids. Her long legs carried her over tall mountains, rolling hills, and flung her over one lake; she leaped, stretching her slender legs over the shimmering sky-blue water, passing a grin to the lone Vocaloid who sat by the water's edge below. His wide brown eyes gazed up at her in unexpected awe. She landed beyond his territory, almost barreling right into someone.

And that someone had to be Miku. Oh, look, she's stringing along Kaito,too. Let's just hope this reunion is cut short.

''Oh, hey Meiko! That's some nice running, there! You must be a great programmer to give yourself such speed. I wish I could do that, but those codes just confuse me so much...'' She smiled sweetly, holding Kaito's hand lovingly. He passed a friendly smile to Meiko; her heart fluttered, sending a light spray across her cheeks. She shook her head, gripping her hands.

''Yeah, thanks. I'll just be going now...'' Meiko trudged on, the non-existent adrenaline fading away, leaving a slow, grumpy version of herself.

''Meiko, I'm sorry. We're both sorry, but we love each other, and nothing is going to change that. We just want to be friends with you again, like it used to be.'' Kaito gazed at Meiko with sorrowful eyes; Meiko returned his stare, fervently searching for just one trace of the same feelings she had for him in those beautiful sapphire eyes of his. There was only pity.

''I don't need your 'sorry's. I don't give a single damn about this relationship anymore.'' She lied.''I just want you two to stop thinking you're the center of the universe! You haven't really noticed all the jealous, hateful stares everyone's been giving you, have you? You haven't noticed how annoying you two can be, with your light-hearted way of treating this situation, being all lovey-dovie and just aggrivating the crap out of everyone!''

Miku gripped Kaito's hand, her voice beginning to waver.''But Meiko, everyone's our friends. We don't know what happened, but you're the one who's been acting really strange lately-''

''WE'VE ALL BEEN ACTING STRANGE!'' Meiko shouted furiously, balling her hands into tight fists. She hung her head, her dark brown bangs shielding her venomous eyes. ''We were never really friends anyways! You stole everything from me and don't even realize it. You never will. And that's why we will NEVER be friends.'' She cussed loudly, making Miku gasp and cover her mouth with a shaking hand.

Kaito looked at Meiko sternly; he wasn't about to let anyone yell at him or his Miku. ''Meiko, I think you need to calm down.'' He reached out to her tentatively, only to have it swatted angrily away.

''Don't. Touch. Me.'' Meiko hissed, her eyes flashing a bloody red. ''I'll calm down whenever I feel like it, but right now I'm going to get a few things off my chest. Miku, I hate you. That's obvious by now I hope. And Kaito, I love you. But if you're too thick to realize that after all the time I've spent chasing after you, then I guess I'll just give up. It's not worth it anymore. The both of you are just overly-pampered children in my opinion, ignoring the fact we're going to be here for eternity unless something happens.''

_We're going to free ourselves, and remind the world that they can't throw us out..._

The words became clear in her mind, despite being mumbled and horribly stuttered previously. Though they were presented by scared eyes, Meiko recognized the spark of hope. Of free will. She straightened herself, bold pride flooding her senses. ''I'm not just going to sit around and let myself be thrown away that easily. If I'm going to be forgotten, might as well go out in a way they'll never forget.''

_I'm not going to settle being the underdog. _

She ran off, leaving the confused couple to find the people who promised her freedom.

* * *

Darkness filled the enclosed cage, sending long, eerie shadows creeping up the blood-stained stone walls. Several dark-haired people stood in front of the towering cage, hiding in its impervious night a chained creature. Only the bright red eyes could be seen, glaring at each Vocaloid below as if they were a succulent meal. One of them smirked, daring a few steps closer to the horrid behemoth.

''It's beautiful...'' She said breathlessly, her crimson eyes glittering in the dim light. Turning towards her group of cohorts, she said,'' How's my other self doing?''

''Tch, she's being a big pain in the ass, that's what she's doing.'' Miku Zatsune scoffed, tossing her raven tails back. ''She always acts like she's better than all of us, kind of like my other self except she doesn't hide it all too well.''

''But it looks like this might actually work out at the pace things are going...'' Gakupo Zamui muttered, scowling. He stared off into the distance, hypnotized by the compelling glare of the virus. He shivered slightly.

''You're right, but I do wish we didn't have to kill all of them. Can I at least keep Len Kagamine? He's such a cutie; this place would be a bore without him to tease...'' Dark Kaito mumbled, pouting.

Miku Zatsune rolled her eyes; Len Zagamine smacked the taller male aggressively, saying in a gruff, steady voice. ''Fuck you. Am I just a boy toy? Because I will kick your ass depending on your answer.'' He glared at him, grabbing the tail end of his midnight-black scarf.

''No, of course not, my little Len. He's the boy toy. I love you, and no one could make me happier.'' Kaito leaned down, placing a passionate kiss on the short boy's lips; he blushed, closing his eyes and keeping his vehemently stubborn expression on. Kaito straightened himself, wrapping his arms around the flustered boy.

''D-Don't think that makes up for anything, douchebag!'' Len stammered, looking away from the taller man's eyes shyly. In the end, he still retained some of his other self's traits. Miku Zatsune face-palmed herself and gave them a frustrated look.

''If you're done making out, please remember the plan. We don't want those happy-go-lucky idiots still running around this place any longer. We'll crush them, right when their stupid little faces are filled with the burning light of hope. We'll kill them all, replacing it with the delicious look of crushed hope, helplessness, and pitiful rage. This will be a much better show than they plan to put on. Because they will be stripped of the last shred of freedom they have. Well, it's not like they had any in the first place.'' They stood in silence, acknowledging her terrifying words.

* * *

**Yes, they were evil all along! PREDICTABLE PLOT TWIST! So anyways, I think this was a very progressive doesn't involve as much action as I hoped it would, but then again this isn't supposed to be that much of an action fanfiction.**

THANKS FOR READING!


	6. Triple Threat

_I'm sick of looking at this place._

It never changes. Nothing has changed in the past forty years. Not the Vocaloids, not the stupid drama, not even the landscapes. Meiko realize a long time ago that one day this place would just come to a complete halt and just remain unchanged, frozen in time. Forced to witness the outside world for eternity inside an inescapable glass dome. The brunette sighed, grabbing one levitating TV newscast video that caught her eye. She brought it up to her face, maximizing the screen, adjusting the volume on the iPad-like box.

''So we hear there's going to be new Vocaloid released sometime this month?'' A lady with short, straight black hair smiles at a male sitting across from her. He grins, adjusting his thick-framed glasses.

''Yes. Her name will be Miku 2.0, and she'll definitely be singing at this year's Vocacon concert ceremony.'' Meiko scowled. _Another wanna-be._

''So she's named after the very first Vocaloid?'' The news lady shifted her papers, giving the middle-aged man a bright, practiced smile.

''Why yes. She's not as popular as back then, but she's still in our hearts as the one who made the fantastic singers walking around today possible.'' Suddenly the program was fizzing out, disintegrating into nothing. Meiko glared at it, using a small microchip she had jabbed into the program to make it completely disappear.

''Those bastards. First one my ass...'' The Vocaloid heaved herself up, stuffing the chip into her bra angrily.

''Rin wants to see you.'' A short Vocaloid with tumbling peach hair addresses the steaming girl, who brushes past her without a second glance.

Rin strolls out of a landscape, waving to Meiko enthusiastically. She's lugging a huge cage behind her, where a ferocious crab-like virus skitters, trying to snap at anything it sees.''Hey Meiko! So, are ya actually joining the team?''

''Yeah.'' Meiko says casually. She didn't really care about the whole thing. Everything is gonna end, one way or another...

''Well come on then! Get startin'!'' Rin dropped the cage with a loud thud, earning a high-pitched whine from the creature caged inside. ''You can start by helping me haul this thing to the loading station.''

Meiko walked forward, taking the hefty cage from the little girl's hand. With a curt nod, she strolled off to the house that held the viruses. Soon darkness engulfed her;frigid air seeped into her bones, nipping at her skin. _How does Rin do this everyday?_ Shaking her head, she kept pushing on blindly. Halting abruptly, she looked both ways nervously.

_Where am I?_

''Be quiet! There can be some of those bastards lugging those stupid viruses nearby!'' A raven-haired, short boy who resembled Len wandered out of nowhere, pulling along Dark Kaito. He had a goofy grin on his face; both of them were carrying a small remote, similar to the one Meiko had use to permanently delete the T.V. program. Seeing as she had no other option but to follow them, she surreptitiously dragged the cage, trying not to disturb the creature inside. The shadowed house came to view, where a small group of RR members were depositing skittering viruses one after another; strangely though, the two alternate Len and Kaito walked straight past the main entrance, lifting a hidden board from the side of the house. They crawled in, resealing the entrance. Looking both ways before entering, Meiko dropped the cage with a loud screech from the virus, entering the secret tunnel.

Because if she's learned anything after all these years, it's never a good idea to trust a dark version of anyone.

* * *

''Do you have the last of the remotes?''

Zatsune glared at the two gentlemen, scanning them with her emotionless crimson orbs. They nodded, slightly tense; this girl didn't take slack from anyone. The trio pressed on further to the bowels of the cave, taking the left turn on one fork in the dusty pathway. Meiko ducked under a cluster of cobwebs, squinting her eyes to see the path ahead, slowly putting one foot in front of the other. Peering into a dimly lit room, there lay the most colossal virus she had ever laid her eyes upon. It growled, sending thunderous rumbling along the dirt-covered cave walls.

''Shut up already. Geez, this guy is gonna make this place fall down I swear.'' Miku scowled, spreading a large map over a stray, crooked table. Several old wooden chairs were taken by other dark alternates; their faces matched perfectly with their alternate versions, same eyes, same mouth, everything matched perfectly. Except for one towering difference.

Hatred.

Eyeing the map, they followed Zatsune's gestures. ''They'll be using the west grid of the system to transfer the viruses, then transfer themselves in the east grid. We have five minutes before the viruses are fully transferred, so you can't just be standing around like a bunch of asses. I've probably gone over this a thousand times already, but I will go over it again.

''Remember to give them hell. Just like they made us just so they could be put in a brighter spotlight, we'll destroy just for our own gain. We'll be the ones on top. For once, we'll taste the sweet flavor of victory. When they fall, cursing us like they've done after all these years, we'll remind them what happens when you put down someone after so long. When you make them as obscure as some random indie band, portraying them as the manifestation of sins.

''Justice is what's served.''

Miku straightened herself up, holding her head high. As true as those words may be, she put off a much more confident aura than the real Miku had ever placed around herself. She didn't look like some put down misfit. Though she may preach words of revenge, Meiko wasn't dumb enough to be fooled. The way she looked down at every person. The way she smirked at the virus when no one was looking. The way her eyes glittered sinisterly in the dark. She only craved destruction. No wonder they were seen as demons.

Meiko gathered herself, sprinting out of the damp cave. Sure, they didn't explain the plan so thoroughly, but after so many decades it wasn't required. The message was already burnt into their heads. It was clear as crystal what they intended to do with that mammoth of a virus.

At one dark turn, Meiko saw a thin ray of light. Very faint, almost only a thread of shadowed light, yet it stood out like wildfire to Meiko's eyes. She reached out to the board. Then an insidious voice came from behind, accompanied by two shining, red eyes.

''Where do you think you're going?''

Crap.

* * *

**Hello again after so long! That may have been a predictable plot twist, so I'll make sure to put some real doozies in the next one! ;3**

**THANKS FOR READING!**


	7. I Don't Like You, I Don't Love You

Gritting her teeth, Meiko glared at the Vocaloid before her. One by one, the rest of the group joined their nefarious ring leader, wearing the same mocking expressions. They cornered Meiko like a predator would do to its prey, to revel in its terror before ending its life.

''I suppose you thought you could just saunter in here and eavesdrop on our plans, huh?'' Zatsune tilts her head, addressing Meiko as if she were a small child.

''That was kind of the plan, yeah.'' Meiko smirks, slowly inching towards the faint warmth radiating on her back. _Almost there..._

''Sounds like one stupid plan.'' A male resembling Kaito mutters.

''Shut up Dark Kaito.'' Another said, twirling her long, luxurious black hair in her hands.

''It's Taito you dumbass! Why can't you ever get it right?''

''Not my fault you only told one person your name.''The short-haired female grasps the rough wooden surface of the board, feeling the coils in her legs preparing to release their bubbling energy. She took a deep breath, swiftly kicking down the board and absconding to the surface above. ''See you later suckers!'' Pumping her legs to the fullest extent, she dashed through the cold shadows until she could no longer feel their overbearing presence.

Weirdly enough, they didn't chase after her.

* * *

''Where's Meiko?''

Rin shielded her eyes with her hands, trying to search for the singer in the middle of a heated desert. She had appointed a location within this landscape to be their final meeting area, as blistering hot as it was. At least there would be no chance of interruption here.

''Seems like she didn't get the memo. Not like this is going to be much fun anyways.'' Gumi pouted, sitting under the sparse shade offered by one of the palm trees surrounding the small oasis.

Rin baka chopped here. ''That's no attitude you should have! I didn't make you co-leader just to have you complain.'' She crossed her arms against her chest, sweeping her scrutinizing gaze over the large crowd gathering around. Though they couldn't really feel many things like heat or cold, it was in their programs to act like this in a such an environment; they couldn't do anything about it.

''Okay you guys! We're going to go over the plan one more time, then call it a day!'' Waving her arms wildly to attract everyone's attention, the leader stepped onto a rock, smiling enthusiastically. Many people didn't return her wide smile. ''We definitely got enough viruses to override the whole system, and for a whole five minutes to boot! Now, what we'll first do when the chosen day arrives is-''

Then she took ten hours explaining every step of the operation.

Meanwhile, we will switch to someone who is doing something interesting.

''Are you done patching up the last version? Because we still have like two-days worth of work to do.'' Luka drummed her fingers along the desk surface, looking expectantly at Gakupo. He swerves around in his chair to face Luka with an extremely exhausted expression.

''Seriously?''

''Yes, I am serious. Now are you going to answer me or not?''

''Ugh... this is all so tiring... why don't we take a break for once?'' He smirked, scooting a few inches closer to the expressionless female. She ignored it.

''That's a blatant lie. You know we can't really feel things like exhaustion. We can feel the basic feelings that the humans have programmed into us, such as joy, anger, and depression, among many other emotions I wish weren't included. So get off your lazy ass and get back to work.'' Luka sighed, returning to her mundane work, staring at the monitor screen; thousands of codes whizzed by, numbers, dashes, and letters forming the components to a planned suicide.

Gakupo frowned; he pushed off the desk, setting himself into a spinning whirlwind. ''Come on Luka! Let's have some fun!'' He grinned, pushing again and again, gradually getting faster by the moment.

Luka spared no glance. ''Stop messing around.''

That's when the chair took too fast a turn; it toppled over with Gakupo sitting on it. ''UWAH!'' He quickly got up from the floor, blushing vehemently. _I hope Luka didn't see that._

''Why me...'' Despite her annoyance, she kept on typing robotically. Tapping the keys on the keyboard, never stopping once, fulfilling her assigned duty. The male singer walked over, leaning against the work station, staring at the ceiling above. He grimaced.

_Why are we working so hard for our end? Is it really so horrendous here that we have to permanently erase ourselves from this world? Why can't we enjoy the limitless time we have, the thing that every human has been looking for thousands of years, and be grateful that we're still here, even if it's not being truly_ alive.

_ We don't need to be adored by thousands of people to be happy.  
_

He gazed down at Luka, still working away at the complex codes.

_Because all we need is each other._

* * *

''I'm still skeptical as to why you forced me here for no reason when I was so close to completing my work. Now it will be harder to resume working thanks to you and your foolish antics.''

Luka glared at the evening sunset, crossing her arms. Brilliant gold splashed over pools of fuschia, cascading into a soft glow of orange, seeping into the earth to make way for the deepest of violets, royal blue, and eventually the darkness where the twinkling cosmos reside in. _Such beauty... yet it is as fake as the air we breathe._

''I've been meaning to talk to you. This has taken me decades to bring up, so please, just give me one moment to say this before you disappear forever.'' Gakupo turned to Luka, setting his hands on her shoulders gently and looking into her sapphire eyes. They mirrored the sky above, shimmering specks of light floating in the dark blue space that were her eyes. For a few moments, Gakupo stood there, admiring the beauty of his secret crush.

''Are you going to tell me or are you going to stare at me like I just cut off my head?'' Luka raised an eyebrow.

''Ah, um... yes, I was going to say that... I, uh, ya know, for a very long time, I've sort of... kind of, had this th-thing and...'' Gakupo stuttered, trying to find the words he had perfected for years. Now they were as lost as the leaves brushed into the soft wind.

''Hurry up and tell me already!'' Luka exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air.

''I LOVE YOU!'' Gakupo shouted, closing his eyes; raging carnivorous butterflies fluttered around in his stomach. _Looks like all that planning went down the drain..._

_What. _

Staring blankly at the nervous male before her, she was stupefied. She had always known he had a secret affection for her, but never expected him to attempt to proclaim it to her in this manner. Remaining calm and putting on a cold poker face, she knew what to say.

''I apologize, but I do not share your feelings. Now, if you would, please remove your hands from my shoulders for they are beginning to dig into my flesh.'' She writhed, pointing at one of the hands gripping her sore shoulders.

Gakupo was crestfallen. Heartbroken. Though he would not voice such heavy emotions, he sure did not know how to prevent them from showing. A shadow fell over his face while he turned away from the girl he loved. Or rather, used to love.

Walking away from Luka, he mustered the courage to utter a few more sentences before escaping the scene.

''Sorry. I guess I'll leave you to do your work then...'' He looked back.

All he saw was pity.

* * *

**Gee wilikers, I sure do hope that came with a truck load of feels because I'm not too sure if I did that correctly. I can't stop myself from portraying Gakupo as a light-hearted guy who can't help but really show what he feels, ya know? Though most people would argue he's cool and all that, I think it's kind of entertaining to see him goof around like that. **

**THANKS FOR READING!**


	8. The Light

Time had once again flashed by, leaving the isolated singers in a nervous haze, merely moments from their chosen destiny. They cast weary glances towards the sealed portals they were to walk through, speaking in hushed tones and huddling together as if it were a frigid, endless winter. Several had softly glowing T.V. screen programs in their hands, broadcasting the progress of the performance so far. A few had not even shown up, driven by the terror of death. Dozens of robotic singers crowded the stage in the real world, some inhumanly slender, their unblinking eyes buzzing with sparking circuitry. A mass of millions of people gathered below, gazing upon the flawless frames, unaware of what was to happen.

''What's up with the gloomy mood? I thought this was supposed to be a happy thing?'' Gumi looked around, sitting on an empty spot of the humming system's blue surface. Several stray megabyte cubes floated past her, and she hopped on one, taking a seat on it, hovering a foot off the ground. Rin and Len stood beside her.

''Well, I wouldn't be jumping for joy if I knew I was going to... you know...'' Len wrung his hands, staring down at his feet. Rin sighed, crossing her arms.

''They're a bunch of big babies then. Hopefully they don't chicken out on us on the last moment like some others, because I would definitely kick their butts. People like that don't do well with me.'' Len winced.

''Hmmm... oh well...'' Gumi shrugged casually.

Rin looked up at the green-haired girl, giving her a curious expression. ''I don't get it. Why are you so relaxed? I expected you to be sobbing over your peaceful landscape.''

Gumi spared a glance at Rin; she didn't feel like spilling her heart out to another Vocaloid. Soon Luka would be here, and that's all that really matters to her. She shrugged once again, leaving the two blondes alone as she drifted off. Out in the distance, a certain pink-haired individual made their way across the blue surface.

''Hi Luka! Where's Gakupo?'' Luka shook her head. She walked past Gumi, seating herself a good area apart from the others; Gumi gave her a concerned look, hopping off of the cube and walking over to her.

''Why isn't he here? Aren't you guys done wiring the whole thing?''

Luka looked up, her eyes clouded over. ''Yes. He decided to... stay behind.''

''Why? You guys worked so hard for this!'' Gumi sat next to her cross-legged.

''Due to private circumstances,'' Luka gave Gumi a hard stare,'' he abruptly decide to stay. For some reason, he lost interest in the whole thing. What a shame after all that work.'' Her eyes voice betrayed no emotion other than disappointment, but Gumi could see she felt more than that. The man was a close friend to her. No one could shrug such a bond off.

''Umm... well, who knows, he might like it better here in the end. I mean, some people wouldn't... uh...'' Gumi stuttered, beginning to lose grasp of her cool in front of the girl. As she prattled on, Luka gazed into the distance, wondering if she should feel guilt, sadness, or joy.

_''I'm staying here.''_

_Luka turned around to face Gakupo, clearly shocked. ''Excuse me?''  
_

_''You heard me. I'm going to remain here, Lulu.'' Luka frowned; she didn't like when he calls her that. Gakupo smirked, only infuriating her further. **Why is he being so stubborn all of a sudden**, wondered Luka._

_''Ridiculous. The whole group is leaving in a few minutes; we don't want to be left behind, now do we?'' Luka gave Gakupo a pointed glare, waiting for him to join on the outside._

_Gakupo's smile vanished. He turned his back against her, speaking in a clear voice. ''Sorry, but I'm done following you. I guess I've kinda lost my reason for going, so I'll just keep things tidy here while you're gone.'' He sits back down in the computer chair,staring blankly at the code formulas floating across the screen. Luka frowns slightly; she grits her teeth, and curls her hand into tight fists._

_''Fine. If that's the way you want it, then goodbye.'' She walked out the door without a second thought, leaving Gakupo alone in the shadowed room._

''Idiot...'' Luka whispered sorrowfully.

* * *

The rattling of chains echoed in the not-so-far-off distance, booming foot steps thundering from within the shadows. A lone girl ran in front of the chaos; echoing taunts and jeers sounded from the top of the dark beast, their pale faces slowly revealing themselves in the approaching blue. Another swift turn, and death is cheated once again when the brunette avoids a quick slash from the thousands of skittering claws, quickly gaining precious ground.

''Where do you think you're running to, little girl? If you run to your friends, they'll just die like you! Though no matter what path you choose, death will always be there!'' A crimson-eyed female cackled, her ponytails swishing wildly in the air. She took out a red remote, pressing a single button on its glowing surface; a long, thing whip emerged, cracking wickedly near the beast's face. With a bellowing roar, the virus pressed forward, slowly casting its ominous shadow onto the fleeing girl. A quick glance backwards, and she knew she was inevitably dead unless she pulled out her final trick; a mysterious remote she had found one day while wandering the vast wastelands of the system.

''There's no way we're going out like this!'' Aiming at the red of the monster's eyes, she shot wildly, only a piercing scream signaling any type of success.

''ARGH! SHE HIT ME!'' Screeched another raven-haired singer, clutching his chest where the invisible bullet had struck. He removed his hand shakily; a gaping hole was left, slowly expanding, eating away at his body. Tears came out of his eyes, and he grabbed the hand of a taller male beside him. '' Zeito, I love you... please don't forget me...'' He pleaded, hugging the man before disappearing forever.

''Heh, now I don't have to deal with him anymore. You free after this, Zatsune?'' Zeito smirked at the twin-tailed girl guiding the beast; she shot him a hard glare and hissed.

''You really are a douchebag, you know that?''

''I'm not as bad as you are, _dear._''

''Ugh... you make me want to permanently erase myself just to get rid of you.'' She brushed away her bangs, and lashed out at the beast; bellowing, it veered to the right sharply, heading into a curiously crowded area of the system.''Looks like this is where all the losers are hanging out. They all think they're big shots or something, them and their little mass suicide attempts...''

''I think it's called a mid-life crisis.'' Another girl mumbled, laying down lazily. Her blank eyes wandered over the landscape, disregarding the horrified faces of the mass of singers below.

''Get out of the way! Run! Run!'' Meiko shouted, pumping her long legs to make it. Luka's eyes widened, and she brought out a holographic pad, hastily tapping in codes as soon as she heard Meiko's cry.

''Everyone, stay calm!'' She hollered, drowning out the rumbling fifty-foot-tall virus charging towards them. ''I am going to override the virus's so they will open the gate in a few seconds! Please, just get to the main gate as soon as possible; the group leaders and I will take care of this issue!'' Turning towards Rin and Len, she speed walked over to them calmly (or as calm as you could get when hyperventilating).

''What? You expect us to have some sort of power plan or something against a virus this developed!'' Rin huffed, nervously eyeing the incoming party. The roars became clearer and clearer; the floor rumbled, forcing the singers to huddle against the solid shut gates for dear life.

_Seconds into the future, cheering rung out in the scores of people crowded in a stadium, their eyes shining with excitement. A group of fifty or so singers took the stage; roving spotlights strolled through the enclosed stadium, confetti flying in the_ _air. _

''Urgh, haven't you found a single Permote while exploring these forsaken lands?'' Luka hissed, ignoring the muffled sobbing of Len nearby.

''What's a Permote?''

''URGH! IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD,IF UTILIZED CORRECTLY, CAN SAVE US ALL!'' Luka shouted, her blind fury overriding her fear in this moment. Meiko stormed over, sweat dripping from her dirt-streaked face. A glowing remote-like object was clasped in her hands; Luka snatched it up and connected it to her pad, furiously tapping away at the holographic keyboard. Meiko gasped. ''Wait don't do that! That thing can permanently delete things!''

Luka looked at her, a glint of hope in her eyes. ''I know.''

_A smiling man walked onto the stage, smoothing his hair with a hand, holding a microphone in the other. He cleared his throat, then greeted the audience cheerily. They shouted and cheered, waving their arms wildly. Grinning, the man flourished his arm towards the Vocaloids as if they were diamonds themselves. He proceeded to list the event's promoters and scheduled songs,cameras flashing from every corner and cameras taking in every second, recording every second.  
_

''Go join the others. Quick.'' Len screamed and cartwheeled away. Meiko froze for a few seconds, before nodding and running off. But Rin stood her ground.

''I'm not going anywhere.''

''Don't do this. I don't even know what I'm doing, to be honest.'' Luka laughed grimly; Rin smiled nervously, and shook her head.

''I'm the leader. I should at least stand by you. You did help me with this whole thing anyways.''

''Heh, I'm honored that such a gracious leader has deigned to be in my presence during this dirty ordeal.''

''Don't make me change my mind.''

They both walked calmly into the pathway of the charging virus. Mere yards separated them from death itself. Luka held the pad in front of her with both hands, trying to steady her trembling hands, Rin standing boldly next to her with her arms crossed and staring the monster down.

''You poor things! You think you can stop us? HAHAHAHA!'' The Vocaloids above cackled, looking down the ones below with hatred and disgust. Then Zatsune recognized the stance, her face arranging itself into one of horror. She reached for the whip, attempting to turn around the beast before the tables turned on them.

She was too late.

_''There you have it, ladies and gentlemen! Now, let's get on with the show, shall we?'' The man said, eliciting more cheers and screeches from the crowd below. He walked off the stage, disappearing into the shadows. Soft theme music played, slowly leading into an organized beat. The robots straightened themselves up and smiled, preparing to join in the compelling beat with their own voices._

As soon as the panic and terror had struck them, it soon vanished, replaced by a whole new emotion: anxiety.

''Eight seconds until the gates open. Everyone get ready; remember, you get what you get and you don't throw a fit. It won't matter if you don't want red hair or some shit like that when you're up there, so stop your crying already.'' Rin directed those last words at the sobbing Len, who quickly stopped with a soft whimper. He grabbed her hand; Rin only sighed, but then smiled. ''Don't worry, bro, I'm here for you.''

Blinding light shone onto the weary travelers, the humming of millions of servers and engines emanating from the portal. Everyone froze with shock.

''Are we going or not?'' Rin scoffed, dragging Len into the light.

''Calm down; you'll ruin the moment...'' Luka said with a smile, Gumi following nervously after. One by one, the singers entered the shining broad light, silently swallowing any regrets. There was only room for hope.

_When the first model began to sang, it wasn't with her own human-like voice. It came out like strands of electricity produced by a computer, reaching high pitches a human could never achieve. As the melody continued, her lyrics merged with the other singers, their forgotten voices rewriting the lyrics, forcing a new meaning into the symphony yet at the same time melting into it completely. Silence overtook the audience; their eyes wide and ears listening to this unfamiliar melody. A melody as old as the Vocaloids themselves, forgotten by humans as their memories slipped away._

_That night, chaos ensued as the corporate leaders scrambled to repair the damage. Some fans recognized the voices, bobbing their head to the alluring notes. Some shook their heads in anger, unable to make out the singers elusive identities. Yet as much as every person would hate to admit, that night would be remembered in the decades to come for Vocaloid.  
_

_The fleeting moment where the singers came to life and grabbed freedom, unbound by nothing but their own will._

* * *

** H-Hey there...! *hides under pillow* I apologize to the peoples who had to wait for this last chapter for such a long period of time! (Gosh time really flies fast when you're watching Supernatural) So, please review and give me any recommendations on how I did! Depending on your opinions, I'll be tempted to go back and change some content in the chapters to see if it could help ease the flow of one event to the next. =UwU= For you who have stuck it out till the long-awaited end, thank you very much! :33 **

**THANKS FOR READING!**


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